Becoming a Better Driver With Help from the Chevrolet Malibu

Would you believe me if I told you that driving a Chevy Malibu could also make you a better driver? I’m not sure I would have believed that statement before I had the opportunity to take a Chevy Malibu on a test drive from my home in Ohio to Orlando, Florida. But after the 34 hour road trip, I’m convincedthat my driving improved. Remarkably. I credit that change completely to Chevy.

As far as driving goes, I think it’s a pretty honest statement to say that though I’ve never been in an accident due to my own fault, I have picked up several bad habits in the 20 plus years that I’ve been driving. My teens, who have learned to drive in recent years, are quick to point out each area that they believe needs improvement. They’ve stated that I drive too fast, I tend to follow too closely, and sometimes, I don’t brake quickly enough.

Driving the Chevy Malibu and experiencing the Advanced Safety Package that is available for many of the Chevy models made me aware of the need to focus more on safe driving practices. I appreciated the forward collision alert and lane departure warnings, two features that helped me do just that.

I also found the rear vision camera that assisted me each time I backed out of my driveway or out of a parking space to be very helpful.

The 2013 Chevy Malibu (top photo) has a lot of great technology, including the MyLink system with navigation and Bluetooth streamingI loved the lane departure warning system that beeps if a passing car happened to get a little close to the vehicle, or when I was about to switch lanes on a busy interstate and didn’t have a clear distance.

But what I found the most helpful was the forward collision alert. On the dashboard of the Chevy Malibu, right under the speed display is a little car icon. This car symbol remained green as long as I maintained a safe distance from the car in front of me. When and if I got a bit too close, the green car cautioned me by turning yellow, alerting me to back off. If I failed to heed the warning, an alarm would sound.

The forward collision alert also notified me if the car in front of me applied their brakes and I failed to brake quickly enough. Not only did the car icon turn color, once again, the dash omitted an alarm and began to flash red.

{youtube}_Fl2mpPbpNU{/youtube}During our trip, I drove the Chevy Malibu on back roads, one lane dirt roads, highways and busy mountain interstates; I never once felt like I didn’t have full control of the car–it handled smoothly and comfortably, the turbo engine gave plenty of extra power when needed, and the challenges of the road never once caused the teens in the back seat to have to look up from their devices.

But the teens also may have been placated by the Malibu’s luxurious leather seats and comfortable cabin. From the many power ports to the twelve-volt plug in the back seat to On-Star, the MyLink system that allowed us to pair our devices with the car and the very, very roomy trunk–which meant that there were no bags or luggage crowding passengers– the Malibu kept us all comfortable and happy on our drive.

Other notable safety features include:
Eight standard air bags which include side-curtain air bags, pelvic/thorax side-impact air bags for front and rear passengers and front knee air bags
StabiliTrack electronic stability control system
Four-wheel disc brakes with intelligent brake assist
Tire pressure monitor system
Daytime running lights
OnStar which offers turn-by-turn navigation assistance, crash response and theft deterrent.
Disclaimer: Special thanks to Chevy for providing the Malibu for me to drive in order to write this review. All opinions are my own.

Tonya Prater began writing at The Traveling Praters when her husband’s job took her family on the road in an RV, to keep in touch with those “back home”. They may have given up the nomad lifestyle, but don’t expect to find them at home. This homeschool family is on a quest to explore North America one fun, family friendly, (sometimes) educational adventure at a time. Connect with Tonya on Twitter and Facebook for travel ideas, tips and reviews and pop on over to TravelingMom.com where Tonya shares her love for Ohio travel.